


Honeymoon Phase

by Luckybug



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Boys In Love, Denial of Feelings, Dorks, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Injured Lance (Voltron), Langst, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Protective Keith (Voltron), Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Worried Keith (Voltron), broganes, klance, klangst, love bug au, supportive team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-03-12 13:08:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13547970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luckybug/pseuds/Luckybug
Summary: Lance gets bitten by a love bug, hilarity ensues.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Haha! I love this idea lol

“You know, the longer you complain about this the longer it’s going to feel.” Pidge sighs, trudging ahead of Lance, rolling her eyes at his whining.

“But pidge.” He groans, drawing out her name. “We’ve been walking for ages!”

“Minutes.” Hunk chuckles.

“It’s hot!” Lance grunts, throwing his arms up looking around the planet. “And there’s no one even on this forsaken planet! Just trees!” Lance yells slapping a branch out of the way particularly hard only to have it rebound and slap Keith in the face. Lance pressed a hand to his mouth in order to prevent himself from laughing out loud, but then he remembered who he hit and nearly lost it backing up against a tree and laughing hysterically.

“Oh my god you should’ve seen your face! I- hit you- with a- plant! In the face!” He yells through his laughter.

“Oh yeah, real funny Lance. Grow up, this is serious ok? Now put your helmet back on.” Keith sneers turning to walk away. Lance was about to call him out for being so bossy when he felt something long and sharp stab him quite harshly in the neck from the tree he had been leaning on. His loud yelp brought everyone’s attention to him, watching with worry etched in their features, Keith stepped closer raising an eyebrow. “What? What happened?” Lance stared directly at Keith, frowning slightly up at him. _Since when did Keith have pretty indigo flecks in his eyes?_

Lance didn’t respond, he instantly felt lightheaded his legs growing weak. He staggered slightly dropping backwards, luckily straight into Hunks arms.

“Oh man guys! Look at his neck!” Lance tried to swivel is head around, as though it were possible to see his own neck, his mind unable to catch up with the event going on around him.

“Shit!” Pidge curses, gripping the long stinger in his neck and pulling it out, causing lance to yowl in pain. He watched Keith’s expression turn from panic to disgust and back to panic.

“Shiro?” Pidge yelped into her coms. “We’re going to have to postpone this mission, have Allura set up a pod. No, everything is not ok, Lance got stung by some space bug and it’s…uh…not good. Yeah, it’s bleeding a lot and the skin is all purple and…pink?” She mumbles. “No, not like blushing pink, like bright pink, almost neon…”

Lance looked around at everyone in confusion, his eyes were moving slower than his brain and everyone’s movement seemed slow and delayed. He watched Keith look at everyone in panic as his eyes started to flutter.

“Guys!” Keith starts. “He’s passing out, come on Lance don’t do this. Stay with me, c’mon!” He chanted as Hunk carried Lance towards the two lions they brought. Lance watched Keith run alongside them, a smile forming on his lips as the world grew dark.

The only thought on his mind as he lost consciousness was, ‘ _Wow, Keith looks so pretty running in this light.’_

~

Keith paced in front of the healing pod watching Lance’s vitals on the screen. He seemed alright now, but what if he wasn’t? He was leading that mission, if something happened to Lance on his watch, it’d be his fault.

“Keith, have you been here all night? Coran said Lance would be fine, why don’t you go shower and eat something?” Pidge suggested standing in her pajamas having just woken up. Keith debated it before shaking his head.

“No I’m fine, I don’t want him to wake up and not have anyone here.”

Pidge frowned about to speak but Hunks voice interrupted her. “Go Keith, it’s fine. Me and Pidge will stay here in case he wakes up. Go get ready for the day and we’ll keep watch. Allura and Coran are eating right now.”

Keith sighed before nodding his head, taking one last look at Lance’s pod and then disappearing down the hall.

Once showered and full, Keith returned in time to see everyone huddled around a fidgeting Lance. Keith raised an eyebrow when Lance’s attention landed on him and relief finally seemed to fill his features.

“Keith!” Lance announced, lifting himself from the table despite Pidge and Hunks protests. “You’re here! Where have you been, I woke up and you weren’t here!” Lance whined walking over and clutching onto Keith’s jacket.

Keith looked down at where Lance was gripping onto him, before his eyes trailed back up to meet Lances. “Oh I uh, I was showering.” He answers.

“Oh! Ok, that’s good! You need to take care of yourself.” Lance smiled.

“What…?” Keith asked trying to back up but Lance gripped Keith’s hands and hummed appreciatively.

“Your eyes are so beautiful Keith. Their violet color really goes well with your complexion, and you know I didn’t even realize you had freckles.” He whispered, his face getting closer.

“What’s going on?” Keith asked, pushing Lance’s face away.

“Exactly what we were trying to explain to Lance, it seems he’s been bitten by a Plecia nearctica, or as some call it the honey-moon bug.” Allura sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose in exhaustion.

“Uh…. What?”

“Basically. Lance was bitten by a love bug and is now all ‘heart eyes mother fucker’ over you.”

“Why me?” Keith grunted turning to Pidge, feeling Lance attach to his back tightly. Looking down at the leech snuggling him, Keith frowned uncomfortably before turning back to face the group.

“Well we believe it may be because you were the first person he saw when he was bitten, though we’re not sure. There haven’t been very many cases of this so we’d like to do routine checkups once a day. Who knows what else that venom could contain.”

Keith sighed, his eyes shifting from Allura, and back to Lance who was gazing down at him like Keith was the brightest star in the sky.

“Have I ever told you that your hair is so soft it’s like touching a cloud?” Lance swooned, snuggling his face into Keith’s shoulder where his hair lay. Keith felt his heart jump into his throat as he almost threw Lance off of him.

“Don’t touch me.”

Everyone froze as Lance’s eyes grew wide and watery, his lip trembling as he stared at the ground looking like an animal who’d been neglected by its beloved owner. Keith felt white hot guilt settle in his gut as he stared at the fat tears rolling down Lance cheeks. Lance blubbered slightly, mumbling incoherent words through his silent sobs and hiccups before Keith looked around for help.

Hunk and Pidge raised their arms as if this had nothing to do with them, and it wasn’t their problem. He looked to Allura and Coran who whistled softly and turned in opposite directions.

“Oh-uh- come on Lance! N-no need for crying? Why- ahem- why are you crying?”

“B-Because I love you! A-And you won’t-won’t let m-m-me hug you!” He sobs dropping to his knees and crying into his hands.

Well, how could Keith argue with that logic?

“Well stop crying now, c’mon, fine you can hug me! Look!” Keith says opening his arms. “Hugs are alright I guess, just please stop crying.” Lance looked up, eyes red and puffy, nose wet and running before launching himself into Keith’s arms and burying his head into Keith’s shirt, which now too, was moist.

“Uh, see everything’s fine.” Keith whispers, awkwardly patting Lance’s back as he held him tightly.

“Y-You’re not mad at me?” Lance asks, chin resting on Keith’s chest as he peered up at him, arms still coiled tightly around the red paladin.

“No, I’m not mad at you.” Keith says, gently patting Lance’s back with the hand he used to give the most awkward and uncomfortable hug of his life.

Lance smiled and pulled back, wiping his nose with his forearm and sniveling softly. “Ok.”

“Ok.” Keith said, biting his lip when Lance’s hand intertwined fingers with Keith’s.

“So uh, how long do you think this will last?” Keith asked from the ground, slightly flushed at the fact that he was holding Lance’s hand.

“It’s difficult to assume.” Allura sighed.

“Because we don’t have very much information on the bug, or many past cases, it’s almost impossible to come up with a result. We’re going to go snatch a bug and run some tests on the venom.” Pidge sighed, pushing up her glasses.

Keith looked to Coran, attempting to ignore the feeling of Lance rubbing his face all over his neck. “You said there were some other cases though.”

“Yes I did, but none of them were similar in the slightest. The honeymoon bug affects everyone differently, mostly in side effect and time.”

“Side effects-Lance, no kissing!” Keith screeched pressing a hand to Lance’s lips, his face now beet red.

“Sorry, the skin on your shoulder is just so smooth I couldn’t resist myself.” Lance chuckles, resting his head on Keith’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around one of Keith’s.

“A-Anyway.” Keith starts, once again. “What kind of side effects?”

“Well, some people got nauseous, some had space flu symptoms, some even got sick when the person they were ‘in love with’ rejected them.” Allura says. “Which is why this bug is such a problem. Listen Keith, I know you and Lance don’t always see eye-to-eye, but for his health I just need you to play along. At least until it wears off or we find the antidote. We’re going to need you to keep him busy, so we can work on it and what not.”

“Play along?” Keith mumbled, looking down at the lovesick puppy, metaphorically drooling on his arm. “Uh sure Allura, I can do that.” He mumbled trying to stand up, but Lance anchored him to the ground. Thinking carefully, an idea popped into his head. “Hey Lance, why don’t we go play that game you and Pidge finally hooked up?”

“You wanna play videogames with me!? But you never want to!” He grinned, his face lighting up. “Well come on then mullet! We gotta go now!” Grabbing Keith’s arm, Lance tugged him out of the room but not before Keith could spare a miserable glance towards everyone inside the med bay, but what Keith didn’t realize were the smiles on all of their faces.

“I give Keith one day before he cracks and realizes he’s in love with Lance.” Pidge smirks, turning to Hunk.  
“I give him an hour.” Shiro says ruffling Pidge’s hair. “Alright team, let’s go capture a bug.”

~

“So this is the controller I use right?” Keith asks, looking down at the controller in his hand. Lance looked like he was vibrating in his seat with excitement as he pressed start on the game.

“Yeah, and you use this to jump, this to attack, and this one to move. Also! You can use combos when attacking enemies to do double damage like this!” Keith twitched as Lance leaned completely on him, showing him all the buttons on his remote. He fought off the urge to push Lance off, but also, he may, sort of, kind of, a little bit enjoyed Lance leaning on him?

“Alright, I think I got it then.”

Lance beamed up at Keith draped an arm over his shoulder kissing his head. “Awesome! I knew you’d pick it up fast! You’re so awesome Keith, honestly, you’re good at everything you do.”

Keith snorted and his shoulders dropped. “That’s not true Lance.”

“It is, I remember when I first met Slav, or not Slav I should say, I was rambling on about how cool you were ya know! I look up to you so much, I don’t know why I’ve never told you that before.”

Almost choking on his spit, Keith looked up at Lance who was starting the game, with a raised eyebrow. “What do you mean you were talking about me?”

“You know Keith. I was talking about you, well everyone, but I was telling Lyka how sick you were, like all the totally amazing things you pull off.”

“You’re making me sound cooler than I am.” Keith shrugs, playing the game. He didn’t expect Lance to talk about him to anyone, let alone good things. He snuck another glance at Lance and felt his cheeks heat up slightly. Lance was already looking at him.

“Can I kiss you Keith?”

“What!? O-Of course not Lance!”

He felt his heart rate increase as Lance’s face fell. “What? Why not? Give me one reason!”

“I could give you a trillion reasons why not!”

“Sheesh, I only asked for one.” Lance pouts, looking away.

“Well here’s a great one, we’re not dating.”

“Is that all? Well Keith, why don’t we start dating then?”

“Lance! No! you don’t like me!”

“What of course I like you! You’re my team mate, my partner! We make a good team remember?”

“No I mean, yeah you probably like me, but like you don’t, you aren’t like in love with me.”

“Yes I am! I love you Keith! Why do you keep saying I don’t?”

“Because you’re under some love bug bullshit Lance. You don’t really love me ok? You’re confused.”

Keith watched the hurt and his eyebrow raised at the visible flinch Lance showed. “I’m confused?” Lance mumbles standing up and backing up slightly.

“Yes Lance, you’re confused, delusional, this is just a phase ok? It’ll pass and you’ll realize you don’t love me.”

Keith watched in confusion at the hurt that crossed Lance’s face. “Y-you’re just like them…”

“Wha-“

“This isn’t just a _phase_ Keith, I’m not going to just grow out of this. I’m not _confused!_ I know who and what I like and who I _love_ is you!” Lance yells, throwing his controller at Keith, the haziness flickering away from his eyes as rage peaked in it, before it faded and tears welt up in them. “Oh my god Keith! I’m so sorry!” Lance yelps jumping into his lap and placing a hand on the bump now forming on Keiths forehead. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t, I don’t know why I got so angry.” He whispered, wrapping his arms around him and dropping his head on Keith’s shoulder.

By then, realization had hit Keith that maybe his wording wasn’t the greatest, he had assumed he had stirred up some unwanted repressed memories of Lance’s and decided to just let it go. “No it’s fine, I was antagonizing you. My fault.” Keith mumbled, patting his back.

Keith smiled slightly as Lance relaxed in his arms, he couldn’t help but think that Lance was actually semi cute when he was quiet and snuggly. Lance gently brought his hand over and intertwined their fingers. “So you’re not mad at me right?”

“I’m not mad Lance.”

He hummed in response, cuddling into Keiths chest causing him to bit his lip. “I’m guessing you don’t want to play this game anymore?” Keith asks, putting down the controller and slowly moving his arm around lances torso, hugging him to his chest.

“No, lunch should be ready soon. Wanna go eat?”

“Sure, if that’s what you want.”

Keith could tell Lance was contemplating his choices before finally sitting up clambering off of Keith. He stood and gripped Keith’s hands, pulling him up to his feet before intertwining their fingers again.

“You know, I hope we stop on another planet soon. Because boy, am I getting tired of eating Hunk’s different variations of food goo. Food goo soup, food goo mush, food goo taco thingies, baked food goo, fried food goo! Like how many ways can you prepare the same thing! It all tasted the same!” Lance yelled throwing a hand up.

Keith couldn’t hide his amusement as he watched the blue paladin stress over something so simple. “Well, I guess he’s just trying to give us variety where there isn’t much to begin with.”

“I understand that Keith!” Lance said, putting emphasis on Keiths name glaring playfully down at him. “I’m just sayin, we go to so many planets, you’d think at least one of them would have tasty and edible food for humans.”

Keith watched Lance before shaking his head. “Alien bodies are different to ours.” He mumbled as they walk into the kitchen. Lance frowns and looks at Keith.

“But you’re part Galra and you’re not that different, well. Physically.” Lance teased, frowning when Keith pulls his hand away and sits at the table where Pidge and Allura are already talking.

Keith narrowed his eyes and frowns. “Well I’m only part Galra Lance.” He huffed, watching Lance’s face fall.

“Hey I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Keith didn’t answer. Being part Galra was a touchy subject for him, he constantly wondered if maybe that _was_ the reason he never made friends easily. Or if that was why he couldn’t understand some of the other paladins jokes, he didn’t like being so different from them. Allura and Coran were a complete different species and they seemed to fit in better than he did. He ignored Lance’s wounded puppy stare before taking a large spoonful of the food goo soup Hunk placed in front of him. Once he was done he stood up abruptly.

“Keith? Are-

“I’m going to bed.” Keith announces, cutting Lance off and walking away. He could hear Lance standing up to follow him but he swiveled around on his heels, thrusting a finger into Lance face.

“Alone.” He snaps, feeling slight guilt at the dramatic fall of Lances face before turning and leaving quickly. He didn’t want to be around anyone right now, he just wanted to go sit in his room alone. Because being alone is what he knew, being alone is what he was good at.

~

Lance stared at Keiths retreating back tears welling up in his eyes. The sudden feeling of abandonment, loneliness, despair. It all crashed into lances chest at once. Keith didn’t _want_ him. He felt a slight irritation growing on the back of his neck as thoughts seemed to flood into his head.

He doesn’t care about you.

He doesn’t love you.

Not even your true love wants to talk to you.

You’re annoying.

A pest.

You have no filter.

Every single sentence seemed to drive deeper into Lance skull, the irritation moving to a full blown burn as he staggered slightly.

“Lance? You ok buddy?” He heard Hunks voice, he heard the hum but the words never reached his brain.

“Keith doesn’t want me. H-He told me earlier th-that I didn’t love him. Was that his way of rejecting m-me I just I don’t understand. Why doesn’t anyone love me…” he whimpered his heart rate picking up rapidly, his breathing going rigid.

“Lance?” Allura called worriedly, having seen the events play out.

Lance turned around to face them, a dark red rash having moved from his neck up to his face causing them all to gasp in horror.

“Lance!” Pidge shrieks as he dropped backwards his eyes rolling in the back of his head. “It’s the venom! Get him to the med bay stat! I’ll go find Keith!”

Hunk swooped Lance up into his arms, cradling him to his chest as they ran towards the med bay putting him in the pod and activating it quickly.

Hunk stared quizzically at the pod. “Is it going to make him better?” he asked, ringing his hands together.

“M’fraid not my boy. It seems the venom is already inside Lance and there’s no way to get it out other than letting it run it’s course, the only way to make Lance better is as we said before. Get Keith to him.”

Footsteps pounded through the hallway as Keith skidded into the medbay. “He passed out because I said I wanted to be alone!? What kind of fucked up bug is this!” Keith asked, panic evident in his voice. “Is he ok? I didn’t hurt him too bad did I?” He panicked, vision rapidly shifting from Lance inside the pod over to the others.

“No, I don’t think so. We have him in the pod as a second attempt at ridding the venom but yet again, no luck. The rash does seem to be going down, and his heart rate is still high.”

“Coran, why don’t you try letting him out so Keith can apologize? So far we’ve only seen true results when Keith has something to do with it.”

Coran nodded releasing Lance from the pod early, letting him stumble into keiths arms. He looked around panicked before looking up at Keith, his eyes glazing over again.

“Please don’t hate me Keith! Don’t leave me! I’m so sorry I made you upset, I’ll never talk again if that’s what it takes for me to be around you. I won’t speak I swear just don’t leave me!” Lance desperately clung to Keiths body, crying into his jacket. He didn’t understand why but Keiths very presence seemed to slowly sooth the burn to a dull itch. He rubbed his face in Keiths jacket, feeling his body slowly start to calm down.

Keith watched in amazement at the mere effect his presence had on Lance in this state. “I’m not mad Lance. I promise, here look, Pidge fixed the pool right? Wh-why don’t we go and try swimming together huh? Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Lance nodded enthusiastically, all signs of illness seemingly vanished as though they never happened. A large smile on his face as he gripped Keiths hand. “We can have splash competitions!” He cheers pulling him along.

Once they were gone, Pidge looked towards the other four, worry clearly etched into her features.

“We really need to work on an antidote.”

“At least we finally have some solid evidence on Lance’s situation.” Shiro said, crossing his arms.

“Yes, it does seem that Keith’s presence and actions physically effect Lance. Now our only option is to have Keith remain calm and level headed around Lance.” Allura looked towards all of the paladins who looked back and forth between another gravely before Pidge spoke up.

“Lance is doomed.”

~

Swimming actually wasn’t as bad as Keith had first assumed. They had relaxed and chatted, splashed each other a bit. He had even kept Lance mindful of his personal space, limiting him only to hand holding as they drifted along on a floating device. Once they had eaten dinner and were promptly showered, here stood the actual moment Keith was dreading.

“So you’re sleeping in here?”

“Yeah? Why wouldn’t I Keith? We’re in love aren’t we? I don’t know why we haven’t done this before, I guess we were just always too busy arguing to enjoy eachothers company! But look, things are all better now so come on get in bed.”

Keith grumbled under his breath kicking off his boots and sliding under the sheets. “This ok?” Keith asks.

 “Yeah, actually…” Lance sat up and pushed Keith down crawling onto his chest, snuggling his face into it. “This is better.” He hums. Keith thought he could handle it, that was, until lance slowly brought his hand under Keiths shirt and trailed it on his bare skin.

“Oi! Hey, no Lance. Y-You can’t- don’t do that.” Keith scolded gripping his wrists and pulling them out of his shirt.

“But Keith, no one’s here, why can’t I kiss you?” He whispered leaning closer, hovering over Keiths body. He felt his cheeks grow hotter as he looked up into Lance’s eyes. He shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t let Lance kiss him. It was wrong. It was _so_ wrong. And yet, the way Lance was looking at him, Keith couldn’t help but glance around the empty room before biting his lip and nodding his head.

“O-ok.”

Lance grinned brightly and leaned down pressing his lips to his. It was short and sweet, Lance pulling away soon after. The boy seemed to be radiating some type of pink aura and Keith couldn’t help but watch in awe. Now that he thought about it, looking at Lance’s eyes he could see flecks of pink scattered around the blue.

“I love you Keith~” Lance sang, cuddling back into him.

“Uh…sure ok. Yeah, same.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end! Sorry this took so long, I've been in a funk but i actually like how this turned out?  
> If you want more from this series, I'll listen to requests! Just drop a comment! Thanks for being so patient with me!  
> Enjoy!

“So have you guys figured anything out yet?” Keith asked raising an eyebrow as they sat in the med bay. Lance stared at Keith happily, hearts in his eyes as Allura drew his blood.

“Well, we have the bug and Pidge is currently running tests on the venom still. But so far, there isn’t much we’re getting that we don’t already know.” Shiro answered, arms crossed as he looked down at the two paladins.

“How have you and your boyfriend been?” Pidge grins, sitting on top of the bed next to Lance, swinging her feet.

Keith glared at her but nodded his head and looked over at Lance. “We’re doing fine.”

Lance smiled and looked to Pidge, a dreamy look in his eyes. “We’re doing more than fine Pidge.” He hums, turning to look back at Keith.

“It doesn’t even seem to be getting better.”

Keith rubbed his chin before raising a finger. “Actually, he snapped out of it briefly two days ago.”

This caught Shiro and Corans attention, both turning to face him. “What was going on?”

Keith shrank back down sheepishly and sighed. “I may have been taunting him, he got mad and threw his controller at my head.”

“That’s where the bump came from.” Hunk mumbles, touching Keiths forehead, receiving a glare from Keith.

“So he snaps out of it when you make him mad?” Pidge asks, tilting her head.

“I don’t think it’s that.” Shiro says, causing everyone to turn to him, except Lance who was leaning on keiths shoulder and staring lovingly up at him. “I think it’s just, that’s how Keith and Lance normally are. They banter, or maybe you said something that made him defensive? Something he felt strongly about?” Shiro contemplates, throwing ideas around.

“What were the two of you argueing about?” Allura asks looking at Keith.

“I told him he wasn’t in love with me, and that it was just a phase or something like that. I think I said he was confused? He got really defensive and shot back that ‘he knew who he loved’ something along those lines.”

Hunk looked as though a lightbulb went off. “His dad!”

Everyone turned to Hunk with equally confused expressions. “His…dad?” Pidge asked.

“Yeah, that’s along the lines of what Lance’s dad had told him when he came out to him.”

Everyone nodded in understanding except for Keith. “Wait what?”

“What?” Pidge asked.

“Lance is gay?!”

Everyone stared at Keith as though he were insane. Keith had no idea Lance liked boys, what the hell.

“Lance is bi.” Pidge corrects, raising a finger.

Keith stared at them all as if this was a joke. “Why am I the only one who is surprised?”

Allura snorts resting a hand on Keiths shoulder. “Keith, Lance literally chats up any available alien, some which don’t even have genders and you’re surprised he does not fancy the female one solely?”

Well, he had never thought of it that way. Shrugging he leaned back and looked to Lance whom was already staring at him. He wiggles his eyebrows, blowing a kiss at Keith who simply stared and turned to Pidge.

“So what? I just piss him off until he finally snaps out of this?”

“Uhm, no, I wouldn’t suggest trying to piss him off, but maybe try and do things you guys normally do?”

“Avoid eachother?” Hunk adds, crossing his arms.

“Hunk is right, Lance and I are always fighting. I mean yeah sometimes we can hold a conversation and when we do it’s nice and usually kind hearted, but pointless conversations aren’t really our thing.”

“Then challenge him.” Shiro says, leaning on the table

“To what, a dance off.” Keith snorts. Lance perks up at Keiths words and nods.

“You wanna dance Keith?” He asks, leaping off of the table and scooping Keiths hands into his own.

Keiths jaw drops and he lets out an awkward laugh. “I was joking…”

“C’mon Keith! Let’s go! I bet I have better moves then you.”

Keith narrows his eyes but simply shrugs. “What I lack in dance moves I make up for on the battlefield.”

“Someone just sounds salty that they have no rhythm.” Pidge quips, smirking over at Lance. He looks frozen for a moment before smirking.

“You scared you’re gonna embarrass yourself Keith?” Keith seems to realize was Pidge is doing and as much as he doesn’t want to dance in front of everyone, he really wants Lance to go back to how he was because that’s the guy he fell in love….er…that’s the guy he was friends with. He mentally berated himself for even suggesting that he liked lance…let alone loved him.

“The only thing I’m scared of is having to drag your injured ass back to bed.” He smirks, crossing his arms looking Lance in his eyes.

This was normal. This was something he could do, arguing with Lance was natural, easy, something he would even say he enjoyed. Sure the guy was annoying but the more Lance fell under this spell, the more he appreciated their rivalry and friendship.

“My injured butt? Be careful you don’t break a hip old man.”

“I’m literally only a year older than you!”

“Did you hear that word you just said? Older. Doesn’t matter how much, you’re old.”

“You’re such an idiot!”

“Well at least I didn’t get kicked out of my classes!”

“You got kicked out of your classes Keith?” Shiro asks, giving him his best disappointed look.

“Like it matters now, we’re thousands of miles away from the garrison! You’re technically a dropout now too Lance!” Keith yells.

Lance pauses and seems to think it over before speaking. “At least I don’t have a mullet.”

“You’re actually impossible!”

“Impossibly good looking.”

Keith turned to the group who seemed to be watching intently, Coran and Pidge were scribbling things down on their little clipboard. Keith couldn’t guess what it was.

“I just… you’re so dumb I can’t even argue with you.”

“Are you sure you don’t just see my face and get so star struck you run out of words to say?”

“I can actually feel my brain cells dying when I speak to you.”

“Of course you would know what that feels like. I'm surprised you even have anymore to even feel them dying.” Lance snorts.

Keith pauses at a loss for a comeback. He watches Lance grin victoriously but once the banter stops, he can see the pink flecks slowly start to pop up in his irises before Lance’s smirk drops to a grin and he grabs Keiths hands tightly in his own.

“We don’t have to dance then if you don’t want to keith, we can just go look at the stars or something.” He grins, pressing a kiss to the shorter boys head.

Keith recoils looking at everyone. “And we’ve lost him.” Pidge sighs.

“It’s gotta be the stimulation, it overrides the neurons that the venom is attacking. That’s good to know, at least we know Lance is still in there and we can definitely get him back.”

“Why do you guys keep talking as if I’m lost? I’m right here.” He hums, pressing kisses to Keiths neck. Keith shutters, but allows it.

“Don’t worry about it buddy, we’re just talking.” Hunk chuckles. “Go back to kissing your boyfriend.”

Lance simply hums but Keiths feels his heart ache. He missed Lance. He missed their dumb arguing, he missed their playful punches, but most of all he missed that excited spark Lance would get in his eye that only appeared when he spoke to him. He almost felt as though he could cry, he wouldn’t, but the possibility was there. His face fell as he stared at the wall and chewed on his lip.

“Keith.”

“Yeah?”

“Can I talk to you?” Shiro asks, nodding his head towards the door. “In private.”

“Uh yeah. I’ll be right back Lance.”

The blue paladin pouts but nods stepping back and sitting back down on the table to finish speaking with Coran and pidge.

Keith inwardly sighed, he knew what was coming. Sitting on Shiros bed he looked over at him with a frown.

“You’re upset.”

“Of course I’m upset.” Keith groans putting his face in his hands.

“Are you angry? Frustrated? Scared?...sad?”

“All of the above.”

“Why are you angry?” Shiro asks, sitting on the bed next to him.

“I’m angry that we’re even in this situation. I’m angry that Lance was stupid enough to walk around without his helmet on, on a foreign planet. I’m angry that now I have to deal with the consequences while he probably won’t remember any of this.”

“Frustrated?”

“I’m frustrated that I can’t do anything about it! He’s stuck like a zombie and all I can do is play along…I’m not smart like pidge or hunk I don’t know anything about biology like Coran. This is something can’t fight my way through and I hate it. I feel so useless.”

“You’re there for him Keith. You’re making Lance happy, making this whole process a lot easier for everyone to try and help him. You’re doing a lot trust me. You are not useless in this situation.”

“Then why do I feel like shit. Every time I look at him I feel guilty, and sick. Looking at him makes me feel nauseous…I’m so scared Shiro. What if we never truly get him back?” Keith turns to Shiro, and he feels those damn tears threatening to drip. “What if he’s stuck like this and it’s all my fault? What if he doesn’t remember any of this?”

“Then we move on Keith.”

“And what if he does.” He hiccups, bringing his forearm to wipe away his tears. “I can’t decide which is worse. I’ve wanted Lance to look at me like this for months now but not like this, I didn’t, I wanted him and what if this is all I get? This zombified Lance before things go back to how it was, and it’s not like I don’t want that because believe me I do, but having his attention on me and for it to be positive is such a breather. I’m so confused Shiro I just…I want Lance back but then again I want him back and I still want to be able to hold hands, and cuddle and…kiss. But I want it to be with the real him. Not this Lance.”

“Then tell him that Keith, it’s not that difficult to tell someone how you feel.”

Keith flies off the bed, pressing a hand to his chest. “It is for me! What if I tell him how I feel and it scares him off what then? I won’t even have him to argue with and that thought is unbearable.”

“Lance wouldn’t stop talking to you because you have feelings for him.”

“How can you be so sure?” Keith sneers, turning to look at the wall.

“Because I know Lance, and if you like him as much as you say you do, you know deep down that he wouldn’t either, so what are you really scared of Keith?”

What was he scared of? Why couldn’t he tell Lance how he felt? He deflates slightly staring straight at Shiro. “So what if it works huh? What if I tell him that I like him and he likes me too and then we start dating? What if I fall in love with him more and more and then one day he realizes that he just doesn’t want me. What if he leaves too and we’re stuck being just friends again, or worse, back to day one. What do I do then?”

“That’s a risk we all have to take when starting a relationship Keith. But you and Lance have something special, you guys connect in a way that I’ve never seen before. You both care about each other so much, and I’m sure Lance is just as scared as sharing his feelings as you are you know? You both like to antagonize each other to get a rise but that’s because you both are so bottled up you don’t know how to project those feelings positively so in your frustration you argue and bicker because you blame each other for your frustration when all you want is the others acceptance.”

Keith was stunned silent staring at Shiro before looking down at the floor.

“When this is all over Keith, tell him. Tell Lance how you feel, you won’t regret it I promise.”

“I can’t.” He whines, voice high in his throat as he turns to look up at Shiro. He places a hand on Keiths shoulder and gives him a nod.

“You can.”

~

“Keith?”

“Hmmm?” he couldn’t be bothered to look up from the book he was reading to look over at Lance. Shiros words were still so fresh on his mind he felt paralyzed around the other boy. He had made up his mind, he would tell Lance when this was all over, but the fear was still there. It was burning hot and rivaled the burning sensation he got from Red when his companion was upset.

“Do you love me?”

“Mhmmm.”

“Then say it.”

Keith lifted his gaze from the printed words, to the boys head in his lap. “Say you love me.” Lance gave him a devilish smirk, raising an eyebrow.

Keith felt his heart skip a beat as his mouth struggled to form the words. He stared at Lance’s bright blue eyes, feeling the words choke him slightly. This shouldn’t have been as hard as it was but for some reason he couldn’t say them. Lying was easy he had learned, he could lie to anyone’s face without missing a beat but telling the truth? Especially when it pertained to his true feeling was a whole other story.

“Why do you need me to say it?” Keith finally speaks.

“I just want to hear you say, ‘I love you lance.’” He pouts. “C’mon, this shouldn’t be hard, even for someone as socially awkward as you.”

“You already know I do Lance, you don’t need to hear me say it.” He grunts lifting his book back up. He gapes at Lance, who has thrown his book to the other couch and now straddled his lap.

“Say. It. Or I’ll shave your head.” He teases, placing his hands on keiths cheeks, rubbing his thumb gently over Keith’s cheekbone.

The red paladin swallows painfully, meeting Lance’s gaze. “Is this…er…necessary?”

“C’mon Keith, you can just whisper it in my ear if it’s easier for you. Just say, Lance is the most amazing man I’ve ever met….and I love him…more than anything.” He hums kissing down Keiths neck. Keiths hands gently moved down to lance’s hips dropping his head back against the couch.

“No way.”

“Oh come on mullet, it’s not that hard. Don’t you love me? Isn’t that what you wanted to tell me?”

“What?”

“Just say it you dork. It’s not that hard to tell people how you feel.”

“Lance?”

 Say it. Say it. Say it. Keith. Keith. Keith!”

Keith flung up out of his sleep staring around the dark room before meeting the pink glow of Lance’s eyes.

“Are you ok Keith? You were mumbling in your sleep and I got worried.” He whines, holding his arm tightly in his own. Keith brought his free arm to his pounding heart and stared at Lance. That’s why it had been so hard…That had really been Lance. That was the real lance, smiling and teasing him.

“I love you.”

Lance grins brightly and leans in pressing a kiss to Keiths lips. “I know. I love you too!”

Keith stares at him before repeating it with more meaning. “I love you Lance.”

Lance seems to swoon, tackling Keith to the bed. “Oh I love you too Keith! More than anything!”

Keith feels Lance snuggle against his chest but he simply stares at the ceiling of his bedroom. He doesn’t even notice when he begins to cry.

~

“Rough night?” Allura asks, watching Keith enter the room.

 “I didn’t get much sleep. I had a lot on my mind.” He grunts, sitting on the couch of the now proclaimed family room.

“What about you?”

“I didn’t sleep much either. I’m worried about Lance.” She admits, twiddling her thumbs. He took in Alluras appearance, a pink robe with her hair braided over one shoulder, he’d never seen her look so…domestic. It was early though, it took him about ten minutes to pry himself away from Lance.

“Yeah me too.”

“I’m sure. You love him don’t you?”

Keith paled, whipping his head over to Allura. Sure shiro knew, but that was because Keith had complained to him on more than one occasion.

“How did you…”

Allura laughs, placing her hands in her lap looking over at him. “No two people argue like the two of you, and are still able to truly care about the others feelings unless you’re in love. I suppose you could also despise each other and are both equally good actors, but I doubt that.”

“I just want him back is all. I want him to be ok.” Keith mumbles, intertwining his fingers, and leaning forwards on his knees. “I just want things to go back to the way they were honestly. I wish we never went on that dumb mission.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Keith turns to her, raising an eyebrow.

“I just believe things happen for a reason, and while they may seem unbearably difficult, things get better. I wouldn’t curse your fate too soon, ok? Stay optimistic.”

“Will do. Thanks allura.”

“You’re welcome Keith. Now why don’t we go get some of that ‘coffee’ stuff Hunk has created?”

“Sounds great.”

~

“Keith! You left me!” Keith grunts as Lance slams into his back, arms wrapped around him as he peppers kisses to the back of his neck.

“Sorry, sorry, I uh…you looked so cute I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“Awww! You’re so sweet! What are you-“

“We did it!” the three turned to look at Pidge sliding into the kitchen.

“Did what exactly?” Allura questions, placing her mug down on the counter.

“We completed the antidote! It’s done! Come on you guys, react let’s go try it!”

Keith grips lances wrist tightly in his hand and speed walks behind Pidge towards the dock.

“What’s going on Keith? You’re holding onto me really tightly.” Lance whines, but follows anyway.

“Sit down here Lance.” Keith says.

“More tests?” He whines. “But we’ve been doing tests all week! I just want to cuddle.”

“I know baby, but one more ok? Last time I promise, do it for me.”

The other three were already in the room, Keith was slightly surprised none of them had gone to sleep, but he was grateful none the less.

“Ok, fine. But only because you asked me to.”

Pidge handed Coran a long syringe filled with dark blue liquid. She then turned to Keith and smiled at him. “Distract him ok? It might hurt.”

Keith nods, taking Lance’s hands in own and forced a grin to his face. “Remember the day we met?”

“Of course I remember Keith! It was the best day of my life.”

“Was it? I remember a lot of hostility coming from you.” He made eye contact with Coran who gave him a slight nod.

“Well I can’t imagine why.”

Keith opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a loud yelp from lance. He looked to Coran who was injecting the blue liquid into Lances neck, right where the stinger had plunged the venom in.

Lance seemed to pale slightly before hunching over into Keiths arms. He felt lances hot breath against his neck and turned to everyone. “Well?”

“Let’s get him into the pod just in case, his body needs rest and we can never be too sure.”

It was only ten minutes after that, that Lances pod slid open and released the boy.

“What happened to me?” He groans, rubbing that back of his neck. “I feel like I was hit by a pack of Swathian Merakeet.”

“You were stung by a pretty nasty bug.” Shiro informs, helping Lance stand.

“Oh yeah? What did it do? How long have I been out?”

“Well what’s the last thing you remember?” Keith asks, ready to yank out all of his hair.

“Uh…” he pauses, looking up into the air.

“I remember hitting you in the face with a tree.” He snickers, and Keith can feel a mix of sadness and relief flood his senses.

“You were basically hypnotized by this bugs venom for about a week.” Hunk explains.

“But don’t worry, Keith took good care of you.” Pidge smiles.

“I’m surprised I’m even alive then.” He chuckles, placing a hand on Keiths shoulder. “Thanks man. So what exactly did this bug do?”

Everyone went silent and turned to Keith. “Why don’t we let Keith talk to you first, and then we’ll all regroup yes? Everyone let us go prepare breakfast I’m sure we’re all hungry.” Allura smiles, ushering them all out.

A wave of nausea and panic surged through Keith as he watches everyone leave and is met with Lance’s bright blue eyes.

“So? What happened? Was it so bad that you didn’t tell anyone else?” He asks, playing it off as a joke but Keith can hear the underlying worry.

“Yes, I mean no…I uh kind of? I need to tell you something Lance.” Keith says, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah? What is it?” He can hear the concern laced into his words and Keith wants to run away.

“This past week has been…hard.”

“Why?”

“You weren’t yourself. I- I realized something when spending all of that time with the uh zombified version of you.”

“And that is?”

Keith froze and Lance places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Keith?”

“That I really like being your friend.” He sighs, glaring at the floor. “I uh, I enjoy talking with you and uhm arguing?”

Lances mouth dropped open as he stared at keith, who awkwardly went on.

“I uhm, I realized how much I depend on you, ya know and I just uhm…I missed you so what I’m trying to say is, what I really mean is…God this is hard, I’m just trying to say- I fell in…I.. “

Keiths eyes widened as he felt lances lips press to his.

“I love you too Keith.” He whispers, dropping his forehead against his. “I love you too.”

Keith felt his face turn red as he stared up at Lance, quickly looking away. “Y-Yeah. That.”

“Don’t go getting all shy on me now Mullet, what happened to make you so jittery? What did I do that made you miss the real me so much?”

“You fell in love with me.” He whines, feeling tears well up in his eyes again. “Fuck, I don’t ever cry this whole week sucks.”

“Fell in love with you? What? That made you upset?”

“No! Well yes! But because it wasn’t you! You were like a puppy following me around and agreeing with everything I said, it wasn’t you, but it was your face and your voice and it was like you were gone but not and it pissed me off and I just wanted to punch you! But I couldn’t because it wasn’t you and Gah! Would you just kiss me again!”

Keith grabbed Lance’s shirt dragging his forwards and colliding their lips together once again.

This was what he imagined kissing Lance would be like, awkward and slow but amazing and brain numbing. Lance slowly took one of Keiths hands, curling the other around his waist and pulling him into his chest.

“Well I’m back now ok? Please don’t punch me.” He laughs.

“Oh shut up.”

“You love me.” Lance grins, wiggling his eyebrows.

Keith blushes but nods. “Yeah I do.” And he leans forwards once again.

Maybe he couldn’t exactly say the words right now, but that was ok. For now, this was all he needed, and who knows, maybe one day he can even work up to looking straight into those deep blue eyes and admitting it.

_“I love you, Lance.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, Happy endings all around. Kind of. I'm thinking of writing maybe where Keith finally admits he loves Lance? Maybe a year later on their anniversary of this whole love bug thing? Who knows! Let me know if it's something you'd want or if you like the end and want it to stay the end lol


End file.
